


Tired

by LuAn0299



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Hogwarts Eighth Year, Multi, Not Epilogue Compliant, Slytherins Being Slytherins
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-09
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:20:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27475654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuAn0299/pseuds/LuAn0299
Summary: Eight year, a year of rebirth and new opportunities for those who fought last year. For those who lost someone dear to them and even those who lost part of themselves while trying to survive. Hermione Granger was the perfect example of the latter. Her courage and intelligence would always be present, such core parts of her personality would never cease to exist. But during her sixth-year things started to change.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Comments: 6
Kudos: 43





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello my dear readers! If you are waiting for an update on my other stories, please bear with me. The next chapters of my other stories are really important for the plot, and my inner muse is refusing to make an appearance, buuuut I had an idea I couldn't get out of my mind. Please leave some feedback so I know if I'm doing and ok job or a shitty job at writing.

Eight year, a year of rebirth and new opportunities for those who fought last year. For those who lost someone dear to them and even those who lost part of themselves while trying to survive. Hermione Granger was the perfect example of the latter. Her courage and intelligence would always be present, such core parts of her personality would never cease to exist. But during her sixth-year things started to change.

After waking up in the infirmary with a nasty looking scar under her breast due to Dolohov’s curse in the Department of Mysteries, her still pure and innocent mindset broke. That night Hermione mourned and cried silently…her childhood was gone and it was up to her to survive, no Death Eater would feel remorse for killing a sixteen-year-old Mudblood.

The next day while dressing in the clean clothes Ginny brought to her, Hermione stood in front of the infirmary’s bathroom mirror completely naked. Her breast no longer flat but round and developed, the curvature of her waist that led to shapely hips and the scar that now blemished her skin rooted even more the idea that she was no longer a child, that the circumstances of her life, her heritage, her magic, the discrimination put the burden of womanhood on her unprepared shoulders.

But she was Hermione Jean Granger, and she would do whatever it takes to survive and help her friends survive and emerge victorious of this fucking war.

Since that day Hermione no longer read a ton of books just because she liked immersing herself in the literature, but because she craved the knowledge and power those would give her to protect her loved ones.

Her ambition knew no limits.

When the books allowed to those belonging to the Light side started lacking. Hermione felt more and more tempted to investigate “dark books”. And that’s when everything clicked for her. Magic was just magic; those forbidden books were just knowledge it was up to the wizard or witch how they used it.

While obliviating her parents Hermione started to understand what loyalty and love truly meant. But the final nail in that coffin was the time Hermione and Harry encountered low ranked Death Eaters during their days on the run without Ron. They were running and throwing hexes at the masked figures, but then, one of their enemies threw a spell at Harry’s feet and made him stumble and fall on the floor, the masked figure had a sadistic smile, his wand was aimed at Harry ready to stun him and take him to the Dark Lord, to his death.

Hermione felt her soul leave her body, and that was when she understood the amount of fraternal love and loyalty he felt to her friends, her other family, the boys who recued her of a troll during her first year. Her heart and mind were set, she would whatever it takes to keep the safe, even if it meant letting herself be submerged to the greyish areas of magic.

Those were the reasons that made her raise her wand arm and without hesitation, the incantation left her lips:

-Inebriat illa terra

The masked figures looked at her with confused expressions. But when nothing happened after a few seconds they started laughing maniacally. The one hovering closer to her lifted his arm and started saying the words of the killing curse. Harry screamed urging her to run.

-Avad….

But it was at this moment that the forest floor started to submerge the three Death Eaters under the earth and leaves, never to be seen again. Their last words, pleads to stop whatever spell she threw their way.

That night Hermione felt the weight of her actions settle. And Harry knew this. Her gaze was unfocused, but her body indicated that she was ready to strike, her shoulders were tense and her hand gripped her wand with more force than necessary.

Harry approached her slowly to give her the chance to decide whether she wanted to talk to him or not. Hermione let him get closer and sit next to her. Her shoulders tensed even more.

-You realize that you are not dark nor evil for what you did, right?

Hermione turned to look at him. His face was calm, a soft smile on his lips.

-I would have done the same Hermione. Because I love you as the sister I never had, you and Ron are my family.

Hermione didn’t respond. Harry sighed.

-Magic is not white or black, what you did it was what your loyalty and love to me, to the cause, to your values gave you the strength to do. Because I know casting a dark curse is never easy, but you had a good reason…I on the other hand casted one at Malfoy out of anger.

Hermione felt her eyes water. A sob escaped her mouth but Harry was there to catch her.

Between sobs she confessed to him.

-I would do it again if it meant saving your life.

Harry just nodded and hugged her even tighter.

-I know, I would too.

That night Hermione finally accepted that she no longer was the same girl that she was years ago. That she had changed. But Harry’s word echoed inside her mind.

_You realize that you are not dark nor evil for what you did, right?_

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-Neville Longbottom

The strong voice of Minerva Mcgonagall brought her back to the present. Where the catalyst of said thoughts was, in the form of an innocent looking hat that would decide how much she had changed during these years and select the best House to suit those changes. The Headmistress definitely threw a curveball at all of them.

_\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_Hermione would never cease to be amazed about how impressive Hogwarts is. But more importantly, she would never forget what that building meant for her. Because it meant a lot. Inside those walls, she experienced so much, her education to become a better witch, her first friends, her first crush, her first heartbreak, her first kiss, her fist victory against evilness. Those walls held beautiful and ugly memories, but she knew that it was her home here in the magical world._

_She decided to come back for her eight year for a ton of reasons, her breakup with Ron, wanting to finish her education, accompany Ginny and Luna, forget that her parents still haven’t recover their memories, heal._

_Harry understood what she meant, Ron not so much, but at the end he supported her, even if they were no longer a couple, they could still be friends, but they had to give themselves time._

_They both went to King Cross to say goodbye._

_During the ride, Hermione spent most of her time talking with Luna, Ginny and Neville. But while preparing herself to attend the prefects meeting, she saw how changed everyone was._

_A lot of students had haunted looks on their faces, others where trying to conceal their sadness with humor._

_But while inching closer to the Slytherin section of the train, she saw that the majority of them were the same. Whispering the stupid slur that now was another scar that blemished her body. Prejudice and discrimination are a fucking disease._

_But those petty words didn’t affect her anymore it just made her feel tired. She fought a war to give everyone a fair chance, even Slytherins, they were not dark because of their house, but apparently, they still were arseholes._

_A flash of platinum blonde hair caught her attention. So, Draco Malfoy decided to come back._

_Well good for him or whatever, she didn’t feel threatened by his presence in here._

_The hours passed and finally they arrived to the Great Hall were the Headmistress received them with, in her opinion horrible, news._

_-Dear students, during the last year all of you lost something. Most of you were underage when you fought last May, you sacrificed a lot of things to survive and keep your loved ones safe. We all have changed._

_Hermione felt a heavy feeling settling on her chest. A feeling very similar to dread._

_-This war could have been prevented if we were more empathetic, more conscious of the similarities between all of your peers. With this in mind, we decided to resort all the students. Please, take this as an opportunity to grow and heal, to get to know people that are similar and different from you._

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ginny’s voice brought her back to the future.

-Hey, don’t look so worried Mione. You are a lion– she told her teasingly.

Hermione gave her a weak smile. Harry and Ron were the only ones aware of how much she had changed. The heavy feeling inside her chest intensified.

-Ginevra Weasley

Ginny gave her a small and whispered “See you soon” to Luna and her.

The hat didn’t hesitated to announce Ginny as Gryffindor. And with a confident smirk she made her way to their table.

-Luna Lovegood.

Luna gave Hermione a dreamy smile and touched her arm softly, as if she knew the depth of her feelings and her need for comfort.

The hat debated for a while but finally decided to put Luna with Ginny in the house of Godric Gryffindor.

-Draco Malfoy

The Great Hall went quiet. But the blonde didn’t acknowledge it. With confident steps he sat in the stool waiting for a faith everyone already knew. He was a snake. And not necessarily because of his past as Death Eater. Hermione thought.

Without hesitation the hat announced the Malfoy heir as a Slytherin. He gave everyone an arrogant smirk and made his way to his table.

All of the returning Slytherin’s experimented the same faith. No new addition was made to their house.

And Hermione understood. The house of Salazar Slytherin had always had a bad reputation. And the war made those prejudices even more harsh. But she knew that the founder of the house not only looked for evil, purists. Ambition, cunning, cleverness, loyalty all those were aspects of a snake in the making. And those same attributes were the ones that worried her, because they were incredibly similar to the qualities she now possesses.

Hermione wasn’t scared of the house of Slytherin. She admired some of their qualities, but their complete disregard to human decency was a deal breaker for her. Their backgrounds as a blood purist and nobles made them arrogant and blind to the reality of things. And honestly, she was tired of dealing with this shit.

-Hermione Granger.

Everyone started whispering around her. She confidently made her way to the stool. Her exterior exuded confidence, but on the inside, she was conflicted. Her eyes strayed to the Gryffindor table were everyone was looking at her with confident smiles. As if they knew she would be sorted as lion once again.

She wished she could be as confident as them in this notion.

The familiar weight of the hat settled on her head.

-Once again you present me with a tough choice Miss Granger. But not between the houses I first had trouble choosing between. You still possess the innate courage of the lion and the thirst of knowledge of the eagle…but now I can see ambition, cunning, loyalty to those you love and respect. The will to do whatever it takes for them. Very though decision.

Hermione felt lightheaded. She knew this was coming, but it didn’t felt real until this moment.

-My choice will not affect who you are Miss Granger. You will not be less or more because of the house you are in. But I will choose a house I know you will learn from your peers and your peers will learn from you.

With an affirmative noise the hat made its choice.

-SLYTHERIN

Hermione felt a shiver run up her spine. Everyone got quiet. The Headmistress was looking at her with surprise etched in her face. Her eyes wide open.

With a sigh Hermione turned her head to the Slytherin table, everyone had a mixture of surprise and disgust etched on their faces. Only a pair of silver eyes were looking at her with a blank expression.

She stood up and with a heavy feeling still inside her chest she made her way to the end of the table away from each and everyone of them. She had no energy to deal with whatever these people would throw her way.

An outraged cry from the Gryffindor table shook her out of her dark mindset.

Ginny Weasley, with her fiery red hair, that was as fiery as her personality was screaming at Mcgonagall to let her be resorted again telling her the hat made a mistake. Hermione sighed, she loved her friend but, she knew that their time apart made her blind to the changes in Hermione’s personality.

With a slow movement, she stood up.

-Ginny! - Hermione loudly exclaimed. Everyone’s eyes turn in her direction.

-Stop...- she told her.

Ginny made a shocked sound. But a look at Hermione’s eyes told her what she needed to know. The ginger girl closed her mouth and gave her a tense nod of acknowledgement.

With graceful steps Hermione made her way to the entrance of the Great Hall leaving a trail of surprised faces behind. But not once did she turn.

Her steps led her to the dungeons, where her common room waited for her. Hermione snorted internally; how easy it was to adapt to a new life.

But when she arrived to the entrance, she realized a very important detail. She didn’t know the password to the common room.

-Shit. -Hermione whispered.

-My, what a dirty mouth Granger.

Hermione turned in the voice’s direction. Blaise Zabini was a few meters away from her. His hands were inside the pockets of his trousers. A smirk finished his look.

Hermione sighed.

-If you’ve come to mock me and call me petty names. Please leave them for tomorrow. I just want to fucking sleep…and maybe never wake up.

Blaise’s smirk got wider.

-Feisty. But don’t take your claws out…or is it fangs now? I just came here to give you the password.

Hermione almost gave him a relived smile. But she didn’t trust him.

-Thank you. – she told him with a tired voice.

He nodded. The famous Slytherin smirk never leaving his face.

-Just say anguis in front of this wall and the entrance should appear. The girl’s dormitories are to the left, your room will have your name written on the door.

Hermione snorted.

-Your password is the word snake in Latin? How unoriginal.

Blaise shrugged. As if he also thought the same

-See you later Granger.

Without another word he left.

Hermione whispered the password and the wall revealed the entrance. With quick steps she made her way to the girls’ dormitories not even noticing how beautiful the common room was. She just wanted to get to her room and tried to forget this day.

Just as Blaise told her. There was a door with her name written on it.

With a quick movement, she opened the door and got inside. She quickly closed the door and put up wards. Very strong wards. She knew how these people were looking at her. And self-preservation was a very strong feeling inside her right now…great another Slytherin trait to add to her list.

With a tired sigh she undressed to her underwear and made herself comfortable in her bed.

Not even five minutes had passed when a deep sleep consumed her.


	2. Red

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't hesitate to leave feedback. Enjoy!

Hermione was running, from what? She didn’t know. But something inside her told her to keep running. The thick foliage of the woods she was currently in, made it almost impossible for the moon rays to guide her.

But she knew that if she kept running, she will be safe.

And then a few meters away she saw her salvation in the form of a clearing.

When she reached it, she felt herself relax significantly. But then a figure in the middle of the clearing put her in a state of alert once again. She cautiously approached it.

It was a curled snake; the head of the reptile was turned in her direction. It’s piercing yellow eyes were staring right at her. Following all of her movements.

_Don’t hide._

With a startled gasp Hermione woke from her dream that was bordering on nightmare.

She casted a spell to check the time. 5 AM.

Her heart was racing. The words that the snake told her kept repeating inside her mind. But they still didn’t make sense for her. What was she hiding?

Hermione sighed, even if she had slept for almost 10 hours she still felt so tired. And the current predicament she found herself in didn’t help. Her eyes roamed all around her room, green and silver, surrounded her.

Well it was best if she started her morning routine. She didn’t want to deal with any of the other Slytherins at the moment.

Decidedly she made her way to the bathroom. Thankful for the fact that she had her own bathroom.

The bathroom was beautiful. Fit to the standards of the noble houses. What a joke.

She took a quick shower. Her hair no longer needed 20-minute showers to look presentable. Part of it was the fact that the war put her under so much stress that it started falling. By no means was she bald, her hair was still as thick as it could be. But the volume and bushiness had diminished. There was also the fact that the length of her hair ended a little bit over the top of her bum. But she didn’t want to cut it. It reminded her of how much she had change.

She put all of her hair down to her side so she could put a little bit of coconut oil on it to keep it hydrated. The reflection that stared back at her in the mirror was not surprising. On the side of her neck, a line of small runes was inked, permanently. Caos, rebirth, growth. Those had appeared the day after she casted the spell that saved Harry’s life.

She didn’t know why they had appeared, none of the books had mentioned it. And she was honest, she didn’t want to investigate the runes further. What had been done could not be undone. She had made peace with all of her actions.

She shook her head. She had a task to complete. Go to get breakfast without seeing any of her fellow housemate. She finished styling her hair deciding to leave her curls cascade down her back, not having the energy to braid them.

Hermione quickly dressed, but when it was time to put her tie on she hesitated, silver and green.

Her hands trembled a little. Get yourself together, is a bloody tie. What are you going to do, cry when you put your robes because it had the Slytherin emblem?

With a lot more security she put her tie on. But she didn’t put her robes on, not yet. She still packed them because she knew her first period would be potions with the other seven years.

She hoped her friendship with Ginny would survive this.

As quiet as possible she made her way to the commo room. She was so preoccupied yesterday she didn’t notice the beauty of it. High walls made out of black rocks, green and silver fabrics decorated the ceiling, the huge window that gave her an astonishing view of the depths of the black lake. She gave herself the freedom to close her eyes and smile a little.

-Beautiful, isn’t it?

A melodic and sweet voice shook her out of her trance. She felt her shoulders tense in anticipation, her wand almost instinctively pointed in the direction of the voice.

She was greeted by a blonde, blue eyed beauty. A little bit younger than her. Maybe a fifth year. What was more curios about her was the fact that she was smiling at her, a playful grin. Not being afraid of the wand that was still pointed at her, almost as if she had expected it.

-No need to be alarmed. I’m not here to attack you in any way.

Hermione lowered her arm. There was something in her eyes that made her trust her. Those blue still kept and innocence to them. She was glad that at least someone got to keep it intact.

Hermione offered her hand.

-Hermione Granger. Forgive me, I don’t like being startled.

Hermione knew the other would probably will not accept her handshake, probably thinking her supposedly muddy blood would infect her. But her parents raised her to be the bigger person, being polite didn’t cost anything.

She was pleasantly surprised when the blonde gave her another small smile and shook her hand softly, without a trace of disgust on her face.

-Astoria Greengrass. Don’t worry, I should have announced my presence in a better way.

Greengrass? Daphne had a sibling? Or was it perhaps a cousin.

With a knowing look Astoria answered her unspoken question.

-I’m Daphne’s younger sister.

-That’s curious, I didn’t know she had a sister.

-Well, when my time came to assist Hogwarts, the war was already brewing. That’s why my parents decided to enlist me in Beauxbatons. I transferred to Hogwarts this year.

-Ah, I see. It’s kind of therapeutic to speak to someone that wasn’t in England when everything went to shit.

Astoria laughed. A beautiful laugh that sound so controlled and sweet. What you expect of a trained noble lady. But there was also a I hint of truthfulness and openness, she genuinely laughed.

-Well, I’m considered a stranger to this house as much as you, pardon me if I’m overstepping, but would you like to go get breakfast with me?

Now it was Hermione’s turn to laugh. Honesty. She liked that.

-Of course. Just you know, your housemate will not be happy if they found out you are eating with a Muggleborn.

Astoria shrugged her shoulders.

-They know I’m not against Muggles and Muggleborns, that has already painted a target on my back.

Hermione gave her an encouraging smile. Happy to see someone from Slytherin trying to make a better world by separating themselves from the old ways, the prejudice.

-Well then, let’s go.

They made friendly conversion during their walk to the Great Hall. Hermione was pleasantly surprised to see it almost empty. Afterall, it was still very early.

They finished their breakfast and decided to walk around the Black Lake to kill the time they still had until the beginning of their respective classes.

Hermione tried to convince herself that she offered Astoria this option, because she genuinely liked her, and not because she didn’t want to see her Gryffindor friends. It was a combination of both.

During the hour they spend walking around the grounds of the castle. Hermione let herself think that she could have a peaceful experience during her stay in the house of the snakes. Fifteen minutes later she would be proven wrong.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After saying goodbye to Astoria, Hermione felt much more relaxed. The blonde girl was such a breath of fresh air. She was so different from the other purebloods she had interacted with.

But while making her way to the dungeons, she felt herself tense more and more with every step she took.

Thankfully she was the first one to get to class but she dreaded the time, when all the other Slytherin’s and Gryffindor’s would arrive.

She wasn’t scared of them. She was just so tired of dealing with all of this bullshit, and she knew the likes of people like Pansy Parkinson would give her Hell for being sorted in this house.

Hermione sighed. One year, that was all she had asked for. One year of peace to live like a normal teenager. One year where she would be able to finish her studies without being preoccupied about dark lords with daddy issues.

Seven minutes before the start of class, all the other students started to enter the classroom.

Her back was straight as rod. Her neck was so tense, she knew it will be tender for the rest of the week. Shite.

Someone dropping their bag on the seat next to her startled Hermione out of her depressing thoughts. Her head turned. And she was greeted by a frowning Ginevra Weasley.

-If you think I will give up our friendship because of the colors you now wear you are mental. No more hiding. You are having breakfast with me tomorrow.

Ginny’s words almost brought her to tears but she maintained her composure and gave her a wide smile.

-Of course.

-What a tender reunion between the blood traitor and the Mudblood.

Hermione tensed once again. Anger started to boil on her chest. Pansy Parkinson always had that effect on her.

Ginny tried to defend her but Hermione just grabbed her arm and squeezed it warning her to not do anything.

Hermione didn’t even turn her head in Pansy’s direction. But her annoying voice was so close, because the pug faced bitch decided to sit on the same side her table was located in, maybe two tables behind her.

-Such a fucking disgrace, her dirty blood is tarnishing our house.

Some of the other Slytherin’s made sounds of agreement.

Something was boiling inside of Hermione; it was anger but there was something else. She turned her head in Ginny’s direction warning her to not engage them. Ginny gave her a stiff nod.

Thankfully Professor Slughorn, decided to came a little bit earlier.

During the first ten minutes of the lecture, Hermione felt she was safe from the comments of the other girl.

But five minutes earlier, the insults began again. Apparently, she had convinced her peers to accompany her.

Mudblood, mudblood, mudblood. They repeated again and again. Ginny noticed it, but once again, Hermione stopped her from defending her. Something inside her was waiting, waiting to be unleashed, something dark, and for the first time she welcomed it.

But not yet, it still wasn’t the right time to strike.

Twenty minutes later, Professor Slughorn was summoned to Infirmary, apparently, Madam Pomfrey needed his assistance with a potion she didn’t had at hand.

When he left the class, Hermione knew that the time to strike was approaching.

-I can’t even see you while you are wearing our colors, you make us look as commoners Mudblood.

-Pansy, would you shut the fuck up? You are giving me a headcache- the unmistakamble voice of Blaise Zabini was heard.

Until this moment, her comments were heard only by the Slytherin side of the class and Ginny.

But unfortunately for her, Neville and Seamus heard her, they also tried to speak up but Hermione gave them a look that paralized them on the spot. Her eyes spoke murder, they were shining with such a ferocious intensity.

Neville decided to calm down the other Gryffindors, this was her fight.

-I don’t give a shit about your headache Blaise. She is undeserving of magic, a fucking Mudblood trying to be at our level.

-Pansy, stop fucking whining- surprisingly, that voice belonged to Draco Malfoy.

But Hermione was too far gone into her anger to notice.

_Mudblood_

_Undeserving_

_Dirty Blood_

_Mudblood_

_Mudblood_

_Mudblood_

The jars around the class started vibrating, her magic was finally unleashed. Ginny noticed and turned to look at her, her eyes were wide. But Hermione didn’t notice, she was in a trance state.

_Don’t hide._

So hard, she had tried so hard to keep her emotions at bay, but she was so tired, so tired of this shit.

Slowly, she grabbed the small knife that was used to cut ingredients.

-Hermione…-Ginny whispered with a panicked voice.

But she didn’t hear her, she stood up from her seat.

Pansy kept babbling about her dirty blood, but several pairs of eyes, Slytherin and Gryffndor alike, had watched as she stood up. With slow and swift moves, she turned in Pansy’s direction.

Her magic was making the room colder and colder.

Now everyone’s eyes were on her including Pansy’s, her mouth closed when she saw the knife in her hand. Nobody wanted to make a noise, afraid of her reaction. The only one that was smirking at her was the blonde-haired prat with grey eyes that was sitting next to the girl she had a target on.

-Mudbloob, mudblood, mudblood. Such a stupid insult. -Hermione’s voice was sharp and calculated.

Hermione started to roll the sleeves of her dress shirt, showing each and every one of them the scar that now adorned her body. A lot of her classmates gasped. Her hand never let go of the knife.

-Let me tell you a story about how stupid that insult is. A few months ago, I was tortured by a derange witch who believed she was better than me because she was from a line of purebloods, she used the Unforgivable Crucio on me a total of ten times. But when I didn’t budge, she decided to mark me.

Hermione scanned Malfoy’s reaction quickly. Not so smug anymore bastard.

His face had the clear signs of someone using Occlumency.

-She craved the word mudblood, on my arm, and do you know what she discovered while doing that?

Hermione didn’t let anyone answer. With a swift movement, she cut a gash on the palm of her hand without flinching. Crimson blood started to drip from her injury.

She dropped the knife she didn’t need it anymore.

-She realized that my blood was red. And that angered her even more. She expected my blood to be muddy and disgusting, but wont you look at that? Is just red.

Hermione was now in front of Pansy’s and Malfoy’s table.

-You know why is so stupid? Because it is an insult that was born because a bunch of arseholes with a superiority complex felt the need to establish their oh so called supremacy over the lesser beings. A superiority complex that blinded them to the fact that they followed a half-blood leader for years, someone they supposedly hated because of the impurity of his blood and treated each and every one of his pureblood followers like shit. A superiority complex that separated families and killed good people.

Hermione stopped and looked at Pansy dead in the eyes.

-I used to think that I had to be the bigger person, respect everyone, even if they don’t respect me, but I’m tired. I fought a fucking war that scared me for life physically and mentally, I will not tolerate a whinny little girl that thinks she is superior to me because of her heritage. My blood is not dirty, you are not superior to me as I’m not superior to you, but I will not let you disrespect me anymore, specially about something as stupid as blood.

With a brusque movement, Hermione slapped her bloody hand on the table. Leaving a red handprint on it.

Without staying to see how everyone reacted, Hermione quickly and gracefully walked away from the class.

Years and years of anger and resentment had finally been liberated.

Her soul already felt lighter.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my dear readers please enjoy this new chapter. It's a little bit shorter, but the next one will be longer.

CHAPTER 3

Peace was such a foreign concept for Hermione. Her mind was always I whirlwind of emotions, but at the same was incredibly organized.

But after her little outburst a few hours ago she felt lighter, more relaxed. Also, the scenery helped with her turbulent emotions. The hidden clearing near the Black was a secret treasure she found during her third year. This place had seen her grow. Her anger, her sadness, her happiness, everything. Her connection to this place was significant.

But she had to get going. Lunch was fast approaching and if she didn’t show up, everyone will assume she regretted what happened during Potions. And she will be damned if she let a crew of racists think she was ashamed of what she did.

Hermione sighed, stood up and started making her way to the Great Hall.

The closer she got the more students she encountered. And all of them started whispering between themselves when they saw her, some of the other muggleborns even gave her approving glances.

She didn’t care about the gossip. She didn’t confronted Pansy to become a beacon for the other students of the school, for the first time in a lot of time she did something for herself.

When she arrived at the Great Hall, she confidently pushed the doors open. Everyone got quiet, all eyes were on her.

Out she saw Astoria calling her with a soft wave of her hand a playful smirk on her lips.

-Hermione, come sit with me.

Hermione gave her a small nod and smile.

Whispered conversations exploded once again.

She ignored it all and made her way to the seat available next to Astoria, noticing the smirking, tall figure of one of her fellow eight-year classmate, Theodore Nott, sitting across her, watching her.

She gracefully sat next to Astoria and started serving herself a bowl of soup and bread. Ignoring the questioning looks Daphne’s sister gave her and the smirks Nott kept sending her way.

-Hey Granger, something you want to talk about? – Nott asked her.

Hermione smirked.

-Nothing at all, just a little altercation between a racist whinny girl.

Nott snorted and Astoria covered her laugh with a delicate cough.

-Yes, so I’ve been told, but damn couldn’t you have done it tomorrow? I would have loved to see it with my own eyes.

Hermione raised an eyebrow questioningly.

-Aren’t you part of that selected circle?

Nott snorted once again.

-Not at all, daddy dearest, unconsciously made sure I rejected blood supremacy.

This time Hermione snorted and Astoria gave them both a little smirk.

Their little moment was interrupted by the doors opening once again, revealing the rest of the students craving lunch, including her classmates. Most of the Gryffindors search for her across the Hall and gave her approving nods and smirks. The Slytherin’s, on the contrary, tried to ignore her. Some of them sneered at her, other ones gave her curious looks.

And then Blaise Zabini came barging in with a huge smirk as he made his way to the seat next to Nott.

-Hermione, my darling _vipera,_ let me tell you that you are the only one capable of making me almost shit myself and made me incredibly horny as fuck at the same time.

Hermione and Nott laughed and Astoria gasped in disgust.

-Must you be so crass? Honestly. – she shook her head in disappointment.

Astoria was going to continue arguing with Blaise, but the reproaching voice of Millicent Bullstrode interrupted her.

-Greengrass, Zabini, Nott, have a little bit of pride and loyalty, she attacked Pansy.

Hermione felt her eye twitch in anger. Attacked? The annoying bitch kept calling her names and mocking her. She was prepared to retort but Astoria beat her to it.

-You know, if you provoke a snake it will attack – She gave Millicent a piercing look – viciously.

Millicent made an undistinguishable noise and quickly sat herself as far away from them as possible.

Hermione gave the younger girl a small smile and a quiet thank you.

For a little while all of them ate in silence, but then Hermione’s hair started bothering her. One of the downsides of leaving her hair this long was that it got on everything even on her food. Astoria noticed and nudged her softly with her elbow.

-Can I braid your hair?

Hermione gave the other girl a thankful look and nodded happily.

Astoria stood from her place on the table to stand in front of the back of her head.

The younger girl worked quickly but a startled gasp surprised her.

-What is it?

-Hermione…your neck- Astoria whispered.

Immediately Zabini’s and Nott’s eyes were on the naked side of her neck. Where she knew the runes lay. Shite, she forgot about that.

But what surprised her the most were the disbelieving looks her fellow classmates were sending her.

Hermione started fidgeting uncomfortably.

-What? Why are you looking at me like that?

-Because, apparently little Miss Goodie Two Shoes has cast at least one of the Elemental Spells of Medea. Which most consider Dark or at least GreyMagic.

The unmistakable baritone voice belonging to Draco Malfoy, answered her.

Little gasps were heard across the table.

Hermione swiftly turned around and glared at him.

Malfoy only gave her a mocking smirk.

-Such a hypocrisy coming from one of the role models of the Light Side.

Hermione saw red.

This bastard thought he had the right to call her out for using a greyish spell when the annoying asshole had fucking hexed and poisoned Katie and Ron.

With a cold calmness she stood up and made her way to his location. Putting her chest against his.

-You have no shame if you decide to call me out for using a little bit of questionable magic. Sixth year, Katie Bell, Ron Weasley? Does it sound familiar? – she told him with a cold voice.

Hermione gave her a dark look. And pushed her a little bit.

-Granger, you shouldn’t speak about things you know nothing about.

Hermione gave him a predatory smirk.

-Fuck you. If I casted that spell was because I had to save Harry from your little friends, the Death Eaters, you probably know them. I didn’t casted to hurt innocent people.

Malfoy was breathing hard. His chest expanded and contracted brusquely; his heart was beating loudly against her breasts.

-You are walking thru dangerous territory Granger.

Hermione was about to answer his pathetic threat, but the booming voice of Minerva McGonagall stopped her.

-Ms. Granger, Mr. Malfoy, my office now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please tell if you like my approach to Hermione's friendship with Astoria. Happy Holidays!


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